shrub id

[pheonix]

i have two shrubs near my house that imsure ive been told what they were once but cant remember, could anyone help?
they have leaves like a holly but aranged like an ash trees leaves would be, and are in flower now with clusters of yellow flowers.
the reaon i as is that they some to beone of few plants flowering at the moment so thought they are probably very beneficial to wildlife at the moment.

[wildone]

I think what you have are Mahonia shrubs. I am not sure how useful the flowers are as there tends not to be many insects about during the winter, but the berries are loved by birds. Not sure whether it is a native plant. Re-reading what I have just written, the bit about insects perhaps is wrong as they will fertilise the flowers for the fruits.

[pheonix]

thankyou wildone, going on gut instinct i dont think they are native. on the insects though it was on these bushes i saw the bumble bees in december, and have seen a bullfinch foraging around recently. i would guess thought htat it is much better to have native flowering plants like erikas though.

[wildone]

Hi pheonix, I suggest that in a garden situation you have whatever pleases you, native or otherwise. Ericas are certainly good for bumblebees and other insects in winter but if these plants are playing a part in keeping insects feed at this time of year then what harm? Remember that ericas tend to be a lot lower growing than the mahonia especially the variety charity which grows to about 1.3 to 1.5 meters. If you can grow some native plants as well then I'm sure there is lots of advice out there on things to grow for wildlife in the garden.

[Imaginos]

Bumblebee queens love Mahonia, one of the few things flowering when they emerge. As for gardening, I'd always advocate natives as then you are not just providing with the flowers, you are also providing foodplants for some of our native insects, many of which are very host-specific and cannot exist on exotic plants. For a good wildlife gardening website, tryhttp://www.wildlife-gardening.org.uk/

[fbcpmike]

Originally Posted by wildone

Not sure whether it is a native plant.

Mahonia - http://www.brickfieldspark.org/data/mahonia.htm - although yours is flowering a little early, not unsual here with the current mild winter.

[wildone]

I know that the variety 'Charity' is winter flowering and is in flower December to late February. Something that flowers for three months during the leanest part of the year is well worth having in the garden even though it is not a native. To my mind the garden should be for humans as well as wildlife and if a plant has berries and possibly pollen/nectar for wild creatures to enjoy that should be enough for it to be included.